Actually less work because you would have a way to sustain all your needs. If you try to do all the overly modern ways, yes you will have to do more work. But simple rainwater composting, maybe a forest gardens, a solar panel or two.. simple needs.. less work. More need-more work. I've read/seen people who do maybe 2-4 hours of work a day.
FeralLunar is partly right, it can mean a lot less work as long as your expectations are that your stardard of living will change. It does however take tons of work to get to that point where all you needs are provided for you buy what investments you've already made. Whether these investment be property, stocks and bonds, a garden/compost/water/solar systems, getting a bunch of people to do all the work for you... It would also depend on a ton of variables, including climate, how much technology you use, local laws, diet and more... if you want it though, start taking small steps and you will reach you goal or a place along the way that's comfortable enough to stay in permanently.
Its not impossible. Not one bit. I know of people who are compleltly self-sufficient. They only buy oils, vinegars, salt and spices from town. They have complete self-sufficiency on fruit, nut and vegies. They also have a micro hydro system. The rest of the stuff they have is obviously, just for kicks and zest ie. Spices, oils, vinegars. They also do not seem overworked and their work is very meaningful - not to mention they eat the healthiest food around.
I also imagine that if there than just adults and some kids, then you would have a severely reduced work load, considering that a lot of time goes into weeding, the kids being the ones that can help with such chores and they also do not eat much.
Day to day... Depends on your location, and time of year. Feeding chickens, building structures, gathering hay (without a tractor =X), milking animals, fixing fences. Tilling the soil, digging rows, making raised beds. You could be chopping wood and let it season, canning food for winter, sheering wool, harvesting dinner. Think of a house. Food, maintenance, energy, water. Now think of that in the context of DIY sustainable. That's the day to day . Except in winter. You're probably sittin back readin and sippin on some homemade wine.
well lol winter is definitely more laid back than summer months however, there are still many chores to be done,,, fetching wood for ovens, catching up on sewing and mending, reading, getting spring seedlings planted, hauling water, cutting next seasons wood for heating, making new garden areas, animals still escape and have babies... The list goes on and on
Actually with a lot of tasks, you can make it even simpler. Forest gardens do not take much. Check out Masanobu Fukuoka methods. I think even with natural methods, we tend to overdo it. We go the wrong way and try to "make things better" when all we have just done is make the simple complicated. Maybe I'm just weird and would actually rather not spend years trying to live simply.
I doubt that your weird. I doubt that making such a judgment would help you with being happy in the short run and long run. I think it is possible and it seems like fun to some extent. I would like to keep in touch with the city though, it just feels good.
I would LOVE to be able to be so self-sufficient, but I'm too poor to be able to afford the cost of getting to that point.
I've lived in the city for so long that I do long for something different. Maybe I wouldn't be such an insomniac. So much noise that I can't sleep. But I would probably have much contact with the city, seeing how I don't know anyone else that wants to live in the country or forest.
